New Small Business Risk Education Program Empowers Women and Minority
Entrepreneurs to Pursue the American Opportunity

Local small business owners will be honored tonight at celebration
with keynote speaker Vivica A. Fox

February 01, 2013 03:08 PM Eastern Standard Time

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“Game changing.” That’s how entrepreneur Jacqueline Sharp describes
the impact of the Small Business Risk Education (SBRE) program on her
Los Angeles-based business, Fort,
which makes furniture from recycled and reclaimed materials, as well as
curated vintage pieces. Along with Sharp, more than 60 Los Angeles area
small business owners will celebrate completion of the SBRE program
tonight at a gathering with keynote speaker and small business advocate Vivica
A. Fox.

Designed by the Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV), one of the
nation’s largest insurers of small businesses, and VEDC (Valley Economic
Development Center), the largest non-profit small business lender in
California, SBRE leverages the unique expertise of both organizations
and provides insurance literacy and risk management training to women
and minority entrepreneurs.

“The Small Business Risk Education program taught me about risks I had
never even considered,” said Sharp, an ambitious small business owner
who launched Fort in 2011. “Through training with a Travelers safety
professional, I developed a clear sense of potential issues that could
impact my ability to staff, grow and manage my company. I now have a
risk management plan to prepare for unexpected interruptions and can
focus my time on building my business.”

Empowering Women and Minorities for Small Business SuccessThrough
the training, made possible by a $150,000 grant from Travelers, SBRE
provided participants, 77 percent of whom are women, and 70 percent
minorities, with:

Increased awareness of safety risks associated with small business
ownership;

Training and education focused on risk management and business
continuity planning; and

Microloans to support capital investments related to risk management,
sustainability and growth for those who qualify.

“Travelers understands the crucial role small businesses play in our
local communities and in sustaining economic vitality,” said Tara N.
Spain, Director of Community Relations for Travelers. “Through our
partnership with VEDC, Travelers aims to provide the skills and
resources to establish, grow and maintain the successful small
businesses that fuel the American Opportunity.”

Roberto Barragan, President & CEO of VEDC, said: “Our mission is to
create and sustain jobs in our communities, so the SBRE program is a
natural fit for us. By leveraging Travelers’ risk control expertise and
providing the necessary access to capital, we’ve been able to provide
some of our region’s job creators and innovators with tools that will
contribute to a stronger local economy and a better quality of life.”

Travelers and Small Business AdvocacyThe Travelers SBRE
program is just one of the many ways in which the company advocates for
small business owners. The company leverages organizational support and
deep knowledge and understanding of risk
control, claim response, and underwriting to develop customized
initiatives to help protect entrepreneurs. Through the Travelers
Institute, Travelers is also committed to working toward public
policy solutions for small business owners.

The SBRE program began in Los Angeles in early 2012 and Travelers plans
to launch the program in Chicago in 2013.

About TravelersThe Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) is
a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and
business. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Travelers has
more than 30,000 employees and generated revenues of approximately $25
billion in 2011. The company provides support for charitable
organizations in the community through the Travelers Foundation and with
corporate funding. The company’s community giving is focused on
education, community development and the arts. Travelers employees are
consistently active in community initiatives and perform thousands of
hours in volunteer time each year. For more information, visit www.travelers.com.

About VEDCVEDCis the largest non-profit small
business lender in California offering direct micro and small business
loans through programs including SBA Community Advantage and SBA 504
loans. As a national small business lender, VEDC lends $25 million
annually, while providing direct business assistance services to more
than 4,000 businesses. With seven offices nationwide VEDC has supported
the small business owner for 36 years with the goal of creating and
sustaining jobs and businesses in under-served communities. For more
information visit www.vedc.org.